MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) — Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing, and we’re learning the stories of some of our own Latino leaders in Milwaukee. It’s a racial identity that can sometimes be overlooked: Afro-Latinos are a vibrant force across the country and right here in Wisconsin.
Our Rodaris Richardson sat down with Marcelia Nicholson, the first Afro-Latina to lead the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors—a title she holds with pride. “My mother is Puerto Rican. My grandmother is from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico,” she said. “My father is a Black man from Alabama, but I proudly represent both heritages. My mom is ‘Morena’, so she would also be considered Afro-Latina. I’m very proud to be Boricua. It means going home often and feeling the soul of the island. It means representing my community.”
Nicholson explained, “Growing up was difficult because I grew up in north Milwaukee, which is primarily black. There’s also a large Puerto Rican population, but it’s still mainly Black. So, you assimilate into Black culture, but then you go south, where it’s Latino, and you’re not sure where you belong. Are you Black enough? Are you Latina enough? And I didn’t learn Spanish at home; I learned it at school. Sometimes that language barrier was very challenging and made me feel insecure.”…